that many have forgotten: The reason you have nice paved roads to drive on is because of the bicyclists. Back in the day before roads were paved they were regular mudholes in the wet season and unbearably dusty in the dry. The cars of the time were forever getting stuck or eating dust. It was as bad or worse for the bicyclists. At the time the Penny Farthling was the hot ride and it is nothing fun to fall off of. Still the country was gripped in a bicycling craze. So the LAW (leauge of American Wheelman) lobbied hard for paved roads. And it came to pass that the roads were paved. The cars benefited along with everyone else.

that many have forgotten: The reason you have nice paved roads to drive on is because of the bicyclists. Back in the day before roads were paved they were regular mudholes in the wet season and unbearably dusty in the dry. The cars of the time were forever getting stuck or eating dust. It was as bad or worse for the bicyclists. At the time the Penny Farthling was the hot ride and it is nothing fun to fall off of. Still the country was gripped in a bicycling craze. So the LAW (leauge of American Wheelman) lobbied hard for paved roads. And it came to pass that the roads were paved. The cars benefited along with everyone else.

Not sure where you live but here the reason cyclist have nice (a relative term for sure) paved roads to use is due to the huge surcharge in fuel tax motorist pay. That said I'm all for reducing pollution, congestion and for people getting out and exercising. All very positive stuff. As for as cyclist, I used to ride daily, not so much lately not sure why that is - anyway I always dig a little deeper to afford them extra courtesy. A little more exposed on the road then even motorcyclists.

The whole idea, that engineers seems to forget all the time (together with intersection lights that helps the flow of traffic instead of creating congestion) is separation of traffic into pedestrians, bicycles and motorized vehicles and from there, how to seamlessly make them mingle and cross each other's paths when necessary. It's been done basically everywhere else in the western world, no reason it can't be done here.

Like I have mentioned earlier, pack your hostilities away when out on/in a moving vehicle, they don't belong there and anyone not being able to see that is too immature to hold any kind of license to a vehicle. And don't bring the BS of "it's the other people's fault!" it is starting to sound rather "WAAH-WAAH, gibberish-gibberish-gibberish, WAAH-WAAH!". The majority of road users have no problems getting along with whomever they share the road with, or else it would be a war zone out there and be categorized as such by the people that issue the license to use the roads to us.

I have driven semis next to and been able to pass bicyclist without creating a damn incident for neither parties, but some of you shouldn't even be allowed to ride a children's tricycle if the behavior you claim here is the way you really behave out on the roads. I've ridden and walked in a lot of places outside the US, but nowhere do I see the this kind of ownership mentality among car drivers as I've seen on the threads here. You do not own the road, it's a shared space, and just because some people pay more to share the space doesn't mean that it is their space, it just means that they use the space more, have more impact on wearing the space down and therefore have to contribute more, but it does not make it "MINE, MINE! ALL MINE!".

Now, how was it we were supposed to pass those damn spandex clad numb-nuts out there?

You do not own the road, it's a shared space, and just because some people pay more to share the space doesn't mean that it is their space, it just means that they use the space more, have more impact on wearing the space down and therefore have to contribute more, but it does not make it "MINE, MINE! ALL MINE!".

Now, how was it we were supposed to pass those damn spandex clad numb-nuts out there?

Egg-zac-ly!
So then, why the hell do the bicyclist's act like it's theirs and theirs alone? HUH?
Going slow...............stay to the right! SINGLE FILE! Just WHY is that so hard?? If the Spandex wearer's would just do that, there wouldn't be all the "harshin' on their mellow" going on here!

As an avid triathlete and cyclist I say just move as far to the left of the lane as you can. If there is a decent shoulder, we cyclists will probably be using it anyway, so just sliding to your left a little bit is enough. If there is no shoulder, just do whatever you can to get enough separation to safely pass (in the lane, out of the lane, whatever). We are expecting to get passed so it doesn't usually surprise us.

As for the cyclists who ride the middle of the lane there is usually a reason (unless the guy is just a clueless prick). I will usually ride the center of the right turn lane approaching an intersection to prevent prevent someone from squeezing by me and then immediately turning right without enough room (the classic right hook). I figure the car will be slowing for the turn anyway, so me at 15-20 mph isn't too much of an inconvienience.

Thanks for watching out for us. Us 2 wheeled guys gotta stick together.

That's a biiiiiiig +1

Every mtbiker or roadie I've met at cool trailheads or fixing a flat was a rider serious about not getting creamed by cars/boats/trains. Swapping lanes is what I usually do, with a big thumbs up air-punch once I'm by. Most folks appreciate and reciprocate.
drz ... if only it wasnt for the stators (sigh)

You do realize that almost everybody you see on a bicycle also owns a car and therefore pays the same road TAXES that you do, right?

Negative. At least here the tax is in the fuel and the more you use then more you pay. So not exactly the same. In the end though the road is public space and not owned by cagers, riders, or cyclist. Some douche may feel that way but a quick trip to court or jail will sort that out. All the anger you feel in the moment is going to make you feel pretty small and retarded when you're looking at your shoes trying to explain your action to the family of the person you killed out of negligence or anger because you were inconvenience for a few minutes.

As an avid triathlete and cyclist I say just move as far to the left of the lane as you can. If there is a decent shoulder, we cyclists will probably be using it anyway, so just sliding to your left a little bit is enough. If there is no shoulder, just do whatever you can to get enough separation to safely pass (in the lane, out of the lane, whatever). We are expecting to get passed so it doesn't usually surprise us.

As for the cyclists who ride the middle of the lane there is usually a reason (unless the guy is just a clueless prick). I will usually ride the center of the right turn lane approaching an intersection to prevent prevent someone from squeezing by me and then immediately turning right without enough room (the classic right hook). I figure the car will be slowing for the turn anyway, so me at 15-20 mph isn't too much of an inconvienience.

Thanks for watching out for us. Us 2 wheeled guys gotta stick together.

You haven't read too many of these threads, have ya?!

They usually devolve pretty quickly...

AFA 'how I'd like you to pass me...' Just please do it safely. I'm one of those that rides in the middle of the lane at crests of hills and blind corners so drivers have to think about how far into the other lane they're gonna hafta be to get around me. I STILL get idiots completely in the other lane going over crests of hills! I've found that when I don't ride like that, its actually worse for all of us.

If I hear a bike coming, I'll move back over 'cause I know the bike can get around me without going into the other lane. IOW safely.

Tip for the cyclists reading this: when you can see that its safe, wave the cars around ASAP. Seems to go a long ways towards alleviating bad feelings.

M

__________________
I'm a cyclist that rides motos, not a moto rider that rides bicycles.

When riding my motorcycle I try to be as safe as possible.
I ride defensively and pretend I'm invisible.
When I see bicyclists riding 2 and 3 wide, it seems to be the opposite to what I do to stay safe.
That frustrates me.
Everyone does his share in the continuous flow of trafic but some bicyclists seem to love to slow it all down to their speed.
It's in their rights and they are going to excersise that right.

So my big complaint is this:
If you ride a bicycle, then please share the road with those that ride motor vehicles. Be curtious by not obstructing the flow of trafic. Stay to the right (even in the left hand turn lane, stay to the right on the line), use bike paths, have a good rear view mirror and use it. Think ahead so to not surprise the driver behind you. Signal when about to turn, not halfway around the corner. And most importantly, forgive cage drivers when we make mistakes. It happens.

__________________And what are you planning to do with your one and only life?

Bottom line, there are dumbasses in cars, motorcycles, and bicycles. Thing is, this is a motorcycle forum, so we have to hear from our own dumbasses every time this stupid topic comes up.

This^. As an avid cyclist, I have little sympathy for lane hogging A-holes who hold up traffic. They are easier to pass than rolling roadblocks of Harleys though (its Friday). However, far too many responsible cyclists get hit/killed by inconsiderate cagers every year. I only ride out in the country and stay within a foot of the white line, always allowing room for traffic to pass. I'm glad to live out in the county so I can avoid riding in the city with its crappy roads and crappier drivers.

__________________
"If you are looking for the typical ride to a restaurant, eat tacos, hold the middle finger over the food, stop and take a picture of a gravel road type ride, you probably won't be interested." - dlrides

"A guy I know was the lead researcher for the University of Utah federally funded study of cellphone and texting use while driving. He found that your twice as dangerous as a drunk while using your cell phone and I think it was up to six times worse if the driver was texting."-dakardad